Miles Hercamp a longtime administrator with New Palestine Community Schools is leaving at the end of the school year in June.
NEW PALESTINE — After already getting word the district’s superintendent, Lisa Lantrip, and assistant superintendent, Bob Yoder, are both leaving this summer, officials with New Palestine Community Schools say another one of their longtime administrators is also exiting from the staff after this school year.
Miles Hercamp, who wears numerous hats in the school district, including Director of Instructional Services, the Director of Technology and the Director of School Safety, has informed district officials he plans to retire at the end of the current school year with his official last day coming in late June.
Hercamp’s resignation is expected to become official in April, however the school board has already made plans to move people around to handle at least some of Hercamp’s responsibilities due to his departure. In the personnel report from the March school board meeting, district officials approved making several changes that include moving current Curriculum Coordinator and Brandywine Assistant Principal, Brian Dinwiddie, to a full-time role of Curriculum Coordinator effective July 1.
In addition, essential skills teacher Kate Graham will keep her job as a teacher at Brandywine Elementary but will also become the assistant principal at the school, taking Dinwiddie’s position. While those two moves have been approved by the school board, Hercamp’s official acceptance of his retirement and a possible name of the person who will take his place are expected in the coming months.
Community Relations Director for New Palestine Community Schools Craig Smith said Hercamp informed the administration office recently he plans to leave the district this year, which prompted the need to start filling other roles.
“Hercamp sat down with the superintendent the day of our last board meeting and told her his intentions to retire,” Smith said. “When he made that announcement, we obviously wanted to make some moves to get the best people we have in positions as soon as possible — but there is definitely some shuffling going on.”
Dinwiddie used to work full-time at the central office until officials felt Brandywine Elementary needed some help, so he split his time at the school and doing curriculum work. With Hercamp stepping down, Dinwiddie will come back full-time working on curriculum at the central office.
“He’ll be an elementary, kindergarten through 8th coordinator, not a director because we’re going to get another curriculum coordinator to work with him,” Smith said. “They’ll replace Miles with that secondary education coordinator and then all the curriculum work will be under assistant superintendent Katy Eastes.”
District officials are on the verge of announcing a new superintendent in early April. Smith noted that person will be responsible for naming Yoder’s replacement. Smith noted that position could take over many of the other duties Hercamp is responsible for.
“The new superintendent might want to hire one position or two, we don’t know,” Smith said. “There are a few positions to be determined with the new leadership.”
Smith said they do need to bring in a secondary education (high school) curriculum person, something Hercamp handled, as soon as possible and that position might be filled sooner rather than later.
“The pieces of the puzzle that need to be filled are filled,” Smith said. “Then, the new superintendent will have a say.”
Smith noted Hercamp has taken on a great deal of responsibilities over the past few years he’s been working in the central officer after having been an assistant principal at New Palestine High School.
“Obviously, curriculum was the biggest piece of his puzzle,” Smith said. “Those curriculum pieces need to be in place and Dinwiddie can handle part of it with someone else handling the secondary component. All those other duties that Miles handled will land.”
